Coking retort oven



" April 18, 1933. J. BECKER 1,904,191 ,1

COKING: RETORT OVEN Filed April 10, 1924 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 III s III I Q Q G 1955 Z/[EWPUS'HEE 5105 PAGE Z/YEW 50355105.

April 18, 1933. q. BECKER 1,

coKING RETORT OVEN Filed April 10. 1924 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 April 18, 1933. J.'BECKER 3,994,191

COKING RETOR;1 OVEN Filed April 10, 1924 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 5' EEDTIDN'D-D.

2/ IDN'E-D- amen! 01',

Gummy AP 8, 1933. J. BECKER 1,904,191

COKING RE'IORSI OVEN I Filed April 10, 1 924 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 EECZIUNZA L attorneys grw ento'o u 2 w i Patented Apr. 18, 1933 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE PANY, OF PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORATION OF PENNSYLVANIA GOKING RETORT OVEN Application filed April 10,

This invention relates to improvements of general utility in the coking retort oven art;

and relates particularly to improvements that are especially applicable to coking rctort ovens of the Becker type of the wellknown Kopp'ers cross-regenerative coke ovens, the Becker type having the cross-over principle of flow of the heating gases, as exemplified in the prior Letters Patent of the United States of Joseph Becker, No. 1,374,546, for Coking retort oven, dated April 12 1921.

The invention has for objects the provision of a coking retort oven embodying the crossover flow principle of the above-mentioned prior Becker patent in a structure, the vertical flues of which communicate at their upper ends with both interior and exterior flow or bus ducts, and in which cross-over ducts connect the individual fiow duets with the corresponding flow ducts of an adjacent heating wall, combined with an arrangement of said flow ducts and cross-over ducts in such manner that the gas flow may be separately controlled on both sides of the vertical longitudinal central plane of the battery structures to meet the different requirements for the coke and pusher ends of the respective coke ovens, without intermingling the gases which serve the pusher-end of any oven with those that serve the coke end; and, as a further feature, the arrangement of said cross-over ducts and flow ductsin such manner that the several flow ducts are of substantially equal length, the cross-over ducts enter at substantially the central portions of the flow ducts which said ducts serve, the

.cross-over ducts are substantially equally distributed along the pair of heating walls they interconnect, and those cross-over ducts which are located in the interior of the battery structure are respectively substantially equidistant from the longitudinal vertical central plane thereof, with the result that invention comprehendsa novel regenerator horizontal flow beyond the discharge ports of the vertical fines is greatly reduced. the flow being in substantially parallel lines from heating wall to heating wall, and proper distribution of the flow throughout the battery is greatly promoted.

1924. Serial No. 705,556.

\ The cross-over duct construction permits the employment of a plurality of flow ducts in each heating wall, instead of the usual single flow duct which extends from end to end of the heating wall. In a heating wall provided with a plurality of separate flow ducts, each flow duct need communicate with only part, in the present instance only about one-fifth, of the total number of flame flues. By this construction, there is brought about a proportionate reduction in the volume of flow which must be maintained through the flow duct, and a resultant decrease in the size of the flow duct. This reduction in size of the flow ducts has the important advantage that it enables a considerable thickening and strengthening of the walls of the oven structure in the region of the flow ducts. Moreover, the improved duct construction permits an increase in the height of the flame flues, with a corresponding increase in the height of the coking chambers so that the latter may be made narrower in width, a development greatly facilitating the coking of high volatile coals, and yet the increased Volume of combustion products are taken care of, without making it necessary to enlarge the flow duct dimensions to sizes inconsistent with adequate strength of the wall construction in the flow duct region.

, The duct construction of the invention is furthermore of great'importance in oven batteries fired with extraneously-derived gas,

such as producer gas, which results in an increased volume of combustion products, for the reason that adequate duct spaces must be provided to collect and feed to the downfiow operating flame flues this increased volume. The invention provides adequate accommodation to such increased volume of combustion products, without introducing elements of weakness into the wall structure. In addition to the objects recited above, the

construction and system of flow therethrough and through the ducts, promoting uniformity of distribution, and has for other obj ects such other improvements or advantages in construction and operation as are found to obtain in the structures and devices hereinafter described or claimed.

v In the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, and showing, for purposes of exemplification, a preferred form and manner in which the invention maybe embodied and practiced, but without limiting the claimed invention to such illustrative instance or instances:

Figure 1 is a composite elevational view of a coke-oven battery embodying features above specified and equipped with the improvements of the present invention, the figure showing face views respectively of the pusher and coke sides of the battery structure; Y

Fig. 2 is a crosswise vertical section taken longitudinally through a coking chamber in planes indicated by the line E--E of Fig. 3;

Fig. 3 is a composite vert cal sectional elevation taken longitudinally of the coke-oven battery in planes indicated by the lilies C'C and DD of Fig. 2; I Y

Fig. 4 is a composite vertical section taken longitudinally through a heating wall and crosswise of the battery in planes indicated by the lines AA and B-B of Fig. 3.

The same characters of reference indicate the same parts throughout the several views.

In the embodiment illustrated in the drawings, the invention is incorporated in a combination coke-oven battery, i. e., a battery having provision for being fired alternatlvely with an extraneously derived relatively lean gas, such as producer gas, or witha relatively rich gas, such'as coke oven gas. For convenience, the present description will be confined to the present illustrated embodiment of the invention in such a combination oven battery; certain features of the invention may be applied to other structures, for example, to ordinary so-called coke-ovens fired with coke-oven gas, or ordinary socalled gas ovens fired with producer gas; hence, the invention is not confined in its scope, except as hereinafter claimed, to the combination oven, or to the specific use and specific embodiment herein described as an illustrative example.

The by-product coke oven battery shown in the drawings includes the structure feature of a plurality of crosswise elongated spaced heating walls 11, 11, which provide intermediate crosswise elongated coking chambers or retorts 12, 12 of the horizontal chamber oven type. Supporting walls 13, 13 extend crosswise of the battery and according to the present embodiment of the invention, are located respectively, both beneath the coking chambers and heating walls. These walls collectively form the main support for the entire super-structure of the battery and are themselves supported upon a flat mat or platform which constitutes the sub-foundation on which the entire battery rests.

The coal to be coked is charged into the coking chambers 12 through charging holes 14 located in the top 15 of the battery and positioned directly above the respective coking chambers as shown in Fig. 2. These charging holes l l are equipped with the usual removable covers for closing the of the coking chambers, during the colrfng or distilling of the coal. The evolved gases and distillation products discharge from the tops of the respective coking chambers 12 through gas outlels l6 and thence through ascension pipes (not shown) into the usual gas collecting main, through which the gases and distillation products pass to the by-product recovery apparatus,

'Heat for coking the charges of coal in the several coking chambers-12 is derived from the crosswise heating walls 11, which form the side walls of the coking chambers. Each heating wall -l1 is provided with vertical flame or combustion flues 17. As in the Becker patent, the cross-over flow of-thc heating gases permits all of the fiuesof each heating wall to operate concurrently as upllow or downtlow flues. The heating walls, in respect of the direction of flow through the lines, are grouped into thealterna'te pairs L that operate concurrently for flow in the same direction, for example, as inflow or burning heating walls, and the intermediate pairs M that operate concurrently for flow in the direction opposite to the pairs L. for example, as outflow heating walls. With regard to the transverse flow duct connections employed in accordance with the cross-over flow principle, as hereinafter explained, the heating walls may be grouped into pairs N, taken seriatim, each pair N being constituted of one heating wall, of a pair L and one connected heating wall of the adjacent pair M. With this arrangement, the cok ing chambers may be, for convenience,

' grouped into two series, a series of alternate coking chambers C and a series of in'ermcdiate coklng chambers C. In any individual coking chamber of the alternate series Qthe charge of coal is subjected to heat from both sides and from end to end of the charge dur-. ing alternate reversal periods, while, during the other reversal periods, waste. gas flows through the heating walls on both sides of and from end to end of the charge. In the coking chambers of the intermediate series 0', the charge is subjected to the heating effect of the burning tlameflflues, applied -to the full length of one side of said charge, and, then, during a successive rwersal period, the heating effect of the'burning flame flues is applied to the full length of but from the other side of the charge. I

. The crosswise regenerators 18 of the retort oven or batteryare located at a lower level than the heating walls 11 and coking vchambers 12, and, in the present instance, extend in parallelismbetween the supporting walls 13. Located in the middle lengthwise vertical plane of the battery, is a vertical partition 19, as shown in Fig. 2, which partition extends from the mat of the battery to the bottom of the overlying coking chamber and interconnects the pillar walls 1 13. The regenerators, which are respectively located on opposite sides of the battery, extend inwardly to the partition 19 and are separated thereby, as clearly shown in Fig. 2. This arrangement permits control from opposite sides of the battery of the flow through the regenerators, thereby assisting the novel flue arrangement in promoting uniformity of distribution, and keeping eniirely sepa rate the flow on the pusher side from the How on the coke side of the battery. Each regenerator 18 is a chamber containing the checker brick 20, with distributing sole chan nels 21 underneath and communicating with the checkerwork.

As shown, the supporting wall construction comprising the several walls 13 provides two series of crosswise-extending parallel gas-tight load-carrying walls located below the coking chambers and intermediate heating Walls, the supporting walls of one series being directly beneath the heating Walls and the supporting walls of the other series being directly beneath the coking chambers. The walls which are beneath the coking chambers are constructed and function not as mere partitions commonly employed, but as true load-carrying gas-tight walls, permitting relatively diflerent pressures to be maintained in the checker-work chambers onthe opposite sides of such walls, or the flow of diflere'nt media in the checker-v work chambers separated by these walls, without leakages from one checkerwork chamber into another and without danger of mixing gases in the 'checkerwork chambers which must be kept'separate in this region of the battery. I

During alternate outflow reversal periods, the regenerators are heated by the hot combustion products from the flame flues and, during the other inflow reversal periods, the heat so stored in the regenerators is imparted to the medium, which passes throu h the regenerators into the-flame flues. ccording tot-he invention, the several regenerators, taken longitudinally of the battery, are grouped into the alternate groups R corre sponding with and operating for flow in the same direction as the alternate pairs L of heating walls, and into intermediate groups S of regenerators corresponding with and operating for flow in the-same direction as the intermediate pairs" M of heating walls. When -the regenerators R and heating walls L operate for inflow, the heating walls M and regenerators JS operate for outflow. Each goup B or S of regenerators, when operating for-inflow, is constituted, as shown in Fig. 3, of two inside regenerators P and two outside regenerators A. When firing the batcounterflow between inflow fuel gas regenerators and outflow waste gas regenerators WV. During any reversal period, inflow air regencraters P are interposed between inflow fuel gas regenerators and outflow waste gas regenerators. At thezsame time, each heating wall 11 is equipped with its own individual pair of regenerators. These advantages in constructionand operation are attained by reason of the fact that the heating walls are grouped into the alternate pairs L, each pair constituted of two adjacent heating walls, and the similar intermediate pairs of heating walls lLwith the result that, while each individual heating wall is equipped with its pair of individual regenerators, each pair of simultaneously similarly operating heating walls L or is served by a group R or S of four regenerators taken seriatim, and all of which operate concurrently for flow in the same direction. Consequently, the two producer gas regenerators P may be located in the interior of .anyinflow group of regenerators and remotely from any waste gas regenerators W.

Each regenerator is provided with a series of ducts 23 all of which lead respectively to individual flame flues 17 of the heating wall corresponding to the regenerator, and each heating wall is connected by such ducts 23 with its appropriate pair of regenerators. With construction, each flame flue 17 has duct connections with two separate regenerators. duct connections between regenerators and heating Walls permitoperation of the battery alternatively with a relatively rich gas, such as coke-oven gas, or with a preheatedrelatively lean extraneously derived gas, such as producer gas, according to the combination oven principle.

Each flame line 17 of each heating wall has at its top a port or opening 24. for draft and the passageof combustion products or waste gases. These ports 24 connect the flame flues 17 with the horizontal or bus flues 25 located in the heating walls above the flames and connecting together the latter in groups. There are in each heating wall a plurality of, in the present instance six, of the flow ducts 25 arranged in endwise relation to each other. On account of the division of the flow above the flame flues into a plurality of flow ducts 25, the individual flow ducts are not required to be of so great capacity as that necessary in present practice and consequently the crosssectional area of each flow duct 25 may be 'materially reduced proportionately with the reduced number of connected flame flues, with the result that the thickness and strength of the heating walls are substantially increased promoted.

In accordance with the Becker cross-over principle, the respective flow ducts 25 of each heating wall are communicably connected individually by means of cross connecting passageways or ducts 26 with the corresponding flow ducts of one of the next adjacent heating walls. These channels 26 are preferably connected to the flow ducts 25 atapproximately the middle portions of the latter, as shown in Fig. 1, and extend longitudinallv of the oven battery, as shown in Fig. 2. Thus all the flame flues of a heating wall are connected by these ducts across the intervening coking chamber with all the flame flues of one adjacent heating wall and the gases.

flowing upwardly in any group of flame flues of aheating wall pass over and flow down-- wardiy in the corresponding. connected group of flame flues of the adjacent heating wall.

According to the invention, the flow ducts 25 are grouped into the interior flow ducts 25 respectively located on the opposite sides of the longitud nal vertical central plane L, into the two side flow ducts 25 respectively located at the opposite sides of the battery, and the two mediate flow ducts 25 are respectively interposed between the inside pair of flow ducts-25 and the side ducts 25 on the opposite sides of said central vertical plane L. As shown in Figs. 2 and 4 the flow duets 25 are all of substantially equal length, and the connecting cross-over ducts 26. are

' spaced substantially equidistant from each other, and at the same time the two inside cross-over ducts for the pair of flow ducts 25 are respectively spaced substantially equal distances on the opposite sides of the central longitudinal plane L. Each flow duct is connected with as near as practicable the same number of Vertical flues as the others and the connecting crossover duct' between two corresponding flow ducts of a pair of connected heating walls enters the respective flow ducts at substantially the central portion of the latter. This construction and arrangement Y of the flow ducts promotes substantial equality in distribution of the flow throughout the vertical flues, avoids as much as possible in parallel lines from heating wall to heating wall. At the same time, the gas flow may be separately controlled on both sides of said central plane L of the battery structure to meet the different requirements for the coke and pusher ends of the respective coke ovens, without any intermingling whatever of the gases which serve the pusher end of any oven avith those that serve the coke end. It is well known that horizontal chamber ovens taper in width, being narrower at the pusher end than at the coke end, so that the body of coal to be heated is thicker at the coke end than at the pusher end and consequently requires more heat for its treatment. The present invention permits the use of interior and side flow duets with interior and side cross-overs and also avoids any intermingling of the gases at the pusher end with those at the coke end, with the result that the gas flow may be readily accommodated to meet the relatively larger heating requirements at the coke end of each oven.

As clearlyappears from Figs. 3 and 4, the I horizontal flues 25 and 25., that make up horizontalflow duct means for the respective heatingwalls, each terminate at a substant1al distance below thetops'of the adjacent coking chambers 12 and are so restricted in height, throughout the horizontal length of their respective heating walls, that waste gas and flame-heat that flows into and out of the respective horizontal flues 25, 25, from and to the flame flues 17, is confined to below a level in the adjoining coking chambers that is at a substantial distance below the tops of the chambers and that is nearly as low as the ported tops 24 of the vertical flues 17, a distance above the tops of the flues 17 of about one-third their width taken transversely of the heating walls, and that the vertical flame flues extend up nearly to said top level. This construction affords the advantage that such level may be, and the present construction was designed for suchlevel to be, the top level above such level for collection of distillation gas. By reason of the fact that the vertical flame flues 17 extend up nearly to such top level for coked charges and of the fact that the upper portions of the horizontal flues 25 terminate at a substantial distance below the tops of the adjoining chambers and are restricted in height throughout the length of their respective heating walls so that such level may be nearly as low as the tops of the vertical flame flues, charges in the adjoining chambers may be heated by direct radiation of flame heat up to within a few inches (five or six) of the top level for coked charges. The remaining few inches may be less highly heated by radiant heat of waste gas, and all flame and waste heat in the horizontal flues is confined to below the top level for coked charges and from flow alongside the tops of the chambers, usually employed for ofi-flow of distillates, above said top level for coked charges that would subject gases of distillation in the space above such level to overheating, decomposition and cracking. The limiting of the horizontal flues to a few inches in height aifords the advantage of flame heating up to within a few inches of the tops of charges in the coking chambers and of having a very shallow, relatively cool top for such charges during the coking operation, which, by reason of its coolness relative to the lower flame heated portions of the mass, is not hot enough to materially overheat the gases that flow over and in contact with the tops of the charges in the coking chambers, and which, by reason of its shallowness, will not slow up the time usually permitted in practice for completing the coking of the charges in the chambers.

As is clearly shown in Fig. 4, each of the cross-over ducts 26 is so spaced along the horizontal length of the respective heating Walls that each may serve to convey combustion productsfrom' and to substantially not more than six vertical flues porting into the horizontal flow duct means 25, 25 25*, 25, and that only one cross-over duct 26 is employed for a group of flnes of not more than six vertical flame flues each. Such construction has the advantage that each portion of the horizontal flow duct means in each heating wall need be only large enough to accommodate off-flow of gas from a few fines without sacrifice of the advantages of the horizontal flnes in respect of pressure equalization. Such reduction of the cross-sectional areaof the horizontal lines to a relatively few 7 inches in height permitting the advantageous employment of it and below the top level for coked charges without requiring the tops of the vertical lines to terminate, for instance, twelve to eighteen inches below the said top level for coked charges. By reason of the fact that each cross-over duct 26 accommodates gas flow to and from not more vertical flame fines, they be madeenough not to materially heatthe gaseous distillate in the adjoining chamber and may be so distributed along the horizontal length of the heating walls, for example, as shown, that flow of combustion products above the top level for coked charges occurs only at widely spaced intervals therealong, which, by reason of the wide intervals, not materially heat the gases of distillation in the tops of the coking chambers.

As iswell known in the art, every coke oven, because it is a. coke oven rather than a mere gas retort, is designed for having a crown-space, usually having thickened lateral walls at the upper part of the coking chamber. As is also well known and common in the'coking retort art, the crown-space must include the top level for finished coke charges as well as the top level for the raw coal charges, and yet be of such size as to. leave an initial gas space in the crown-space above the top level for raw coal charges for collecting gas above the initial raw coal charge. The thickening of the lateral walls for the crown-space therefore terminates below the top level for finished coke charges and extends above the top levelwfor raw coal charges. Therefore the top level for the raw coal charges and the top level for the finished coke charges must be and is of course determined before the size and locations of the various flues and the thickness of the walls relative to the coking chambers can be determined. The minimum height of the crownspace and the thickened lateral walls therefor may vary with different ovens dependent upon the kind and quality of coal they are designed to coke and the contemplated size and shape of the chamber therefor and is determined in practice in the following manner well known in the art. The size of the usual initial space required to be left along the top of the coking chamber 12 for oilflow of gas from a charge while being coked is governed by the principal coal intended to be employed in the coking chamber, and is computed from the known gas yield of a definite quantity of a given coal under the shortest coking time contemplated. This computed size determines the top level to which the chamber may be charged with raw coal, which level is then mechanically fixed by locating the lower level of the usual coalleveler door on the pusher side of the chamher at such computed top level for the coal charge, and in the present disclosure is also limited by the lower terminus 26* of an extension or jog 26? of the lateral thickened walls for the crown-space, which extension extended into the coking chamber opposite the gas space, as shown in Fig. 9', for elfecting a. greater insulation of the space than of the gas space I portion of the crown-space in order to provide a greater insulation for the richer gas given all immediately after charging and during the earlier part of the coking period for the leaner gas passing from the charge during the later stages of coking after the charge has shrunk. The

level of the crown-space is then ascertained from such top level by scientifically computing from the known v 1-- characteristics of the coal the top level to which the given raw coal charge will shrink at the end of the coking period. The horizontal flow-duct means 25 are then, for instance, locateu in their respective heating walls so that their tops will be such a distance below the top level 26 for coal charges as to be substantially up to the computed top level for finished coke charges, as exemplified in Fig. 3. In this manner the minimum height of the crown-space and the top level for coked charges are mechanically fixed and from such horizontal flues 25 the vertical flues 1?, crossover ducts or connecting flue-means 26, and the thickened lateral walls for the crownspace, are located relative to the coking chamber, in the manner shown on the drawings so that the heating of the coking chamber is maintained upwardly to nearly the top level for finished coke charges in the chambers, overheating of the gas in the crown-space avoided, and a relatively thin cool top assured at the top of the coke charge by means of the location and dimensions of the horizontal flues 25, and crossover connecting-flue means 26. For example, in an oven having the mean dimensions A, 16.5 inches; 13, 11 feet; oven length inside doors, 42 feet, 6 inches; and designed for coking in 16.83 hours 19.13 tons of coal averaging 759 cubic feet and 50.4 pounds per cubic foot in the chamber: the determined top level E for raw coal charges was 12 inches, the top level C for the horizontal flues and the substantially corresponding final level for the crown-space and top level for the finished coke was 28 inches, and the depth D of the horizontal flues was 5.5 inches. In another oven having the mean dimensions A, 14 inches; B, 13 feet; oven length inside doors 40 feet, 8 inches; and designed for coking in 13 hours 12.8 tons of coal averaging 545 cubic feet and 47 pounds per cubic foot in the chamber: the determined top level E for raw coal charges was 18 inches, the top level 0 for the horizontal flue and the substantially corresponding final level for the crown-space and top level for finished coke was 30 inches, and the depth D of the horizontal flue was 5.5 inches. And for an oven to be principally employed for coal of still less shrinking type, the difference between E and C would of course be still p less.

usual type which extend longitudinally at the opposite sides of the battery. Suitable mechanism is provided for controlling the supply of fuel as to the channels 29 and 30, as required by attery operation.

\Vhen firing the battery with extraneouslyderived lean gas, such as producer gas, all

the gas channels 29 and 30 are cut off from the coke oven gas supply. Assuming that the alternate groups R and L of regenerators and connected heating walls are operating for inflow and that the intermediate groups M and S of heating walls and regenerators are operating for outflow, a supply of producer gas is permitted to flow into the inside regenerators of each alternate group R. Passing through said regenerators P, the producer gas is preheated before being delivered into the burning flame flues. During the inflow of producer gas through such regenerators P, inflow of air is maintained in the other regenera ors A of the alternate groups R. The air passing upwardly through the regenerators A finally enters the burning flame fines to support the combustion of the producer gas that is delivered thereto by the regenerators P. During the inflow through the regenerators R- and the connected flues of the heating walls L, the waste gas from the outflow operating flues of the intermediate pairs M is flowing out throu h the regenerators of the connected interme iate groups S, so that said regenerators S operate as waste gas regenerators l/V. On reversal of the flow, the inflow operating regenerators become outflow regenerators and concurrently the outflow operating regenerators become inflow regen erators.

In operating the battery with coke oven gas, the supply of producer gas to regenerators P is cut off and air is permitted to flow into such regenerators in place of the'f'producer gas. During coke oven gas operatlon, a supply of coke oven gas is maintained in the channels 29 and 30 which feed the upburning flues. The reversing mechanism is operated at each reversal to place all of the inflow operating regenerators in commumcation with the outer air and concurrently all of the outflow operating regenerators in communication with the exhaust.

The invention as hereinabove set forth is embodied in a particular form of construction but may be variously embodied within the scope of the claims hereinafter made.

I claim:

1. In a coking retort oven, in combination: a plurality of spaced heating walls providing intermediate coking chambers, said heating walls respectively comprising vertical combustion flues; a pair of interior and a pair of side fiow ducts in each heating wall respectively communicably connected with interior and side groups of the combustion flues of their respective heating walls, the memb rs of said respective pairs of flow ducts being located on opposite sides of the central portion of the heating wall and the flow ducts constituting the interior pair being substantially equidistant from the center of the heating Wall; a pair of mediate flow ducts respectively located between a side flow duct and an interior flow duct; the flow ducts being each of substantially equal length and being also communicably connected individually by duct means extending substantially from the central portion of the flow duct over the top of the coking chamber with substantially the central portion of the corresponding flow duct of an adjacent heating wall; and crosswise regenerators communicably connected with the flues of said heating 2. In a coking retort oven,v in combination: a plurality of spaced heating walls providing intermediate coking chambers, said heating Walls respectively comprising vertical cornbustion flues; a pair of interior and a pair of side flow ducts in each heating wall respectively communicably connected with interior and side groups of the combustion fines of their respective heating walls, the members of said respective pairs of flow ducts being located on opposite sides of the central portion of the heating Wall and the flow ducts constituting the interior pair being substantially equidistant from the center of the heating wall;a pair 0t mediate flow ducts respectively located between a side flow duct and an interior flow duct; the flow ducts being each of substantially equal length and being also communicably connected individually by duct means extending substantially from the central portion of the flow duct over the top of the coking chamber with substantially the central portion of the corresponding flow duct of an adjacent heating wall; and regenerators communicably connected with the fines of said heating walls.

3. In a coking retort oven, in combination a plurality of spaced heating walls providing intermediate coking chambers, said heatingwalls respectively compmg vertical COIIlbIlSlllQ: flues; a pair of interior and a pair of side flow ducts in each respectively communicably connected interior and side groups of the combustion flues of their respective heating walls, the members of said respective pairs oi flow ducts being located on opposite sides; of central portion of the heating wall and the flow ducts constituting the interior stantially equidistant from the center of the heating wall; the: flow ducts each of substantially equal length also communicably connected by duct means extending substantially fironr the central portion of the flow duct over the top of the coking chamber with central portion of the corresponding flow duct of an adjacent heatingf wall; and regen erators communicably connected with the fines of said heating walls.

4. In a coking retort oven, in combination:

a plurality of spaced heating walls providing intermediate coking chambers, said heating walls respectively comprising vertical combustion fines; a pair of interior and a. pair of side flow ducts in each heating wall respecof the heating wall; the flow ducts being each of substantially equal length and being also communicably connected individually. by duct means extending substantially from the central portion of the fiow duct over the top of the coking chamber with substantially the central portion of the corresponding flow duct of an adjacent heating wall; and regenerators communicably connected with the fines of said heating walls.

5. In a coking retort oven, in combination: a plurality of spaced heating walls providing intermediate coking chambers, said heating walls respectively comprising vertical combustion fines; a pair of interior and a pair of side flow ducts in each heating wall respectively communicably connected with interior and side groups of the combustion fines of their respective heating walls, the members of said respective pairs of flow ducts being located on opposite sides of the central portion of the heating wall; a pair of mediate flow ducts respectively located between a side flow duct and an interior flow duct; the flow ducts being each of substantially equal length and being also communicably connected individually by duct means extending substan (daily from the central portion of the flow duct over the top of the coking chamber with substantially the central portion of the corresponding flow duct of an adjacent heating wall; and regenerators communicably conof side flow ducts in each heating wall respec- I tively communicably connected interior 4 and side groups of combustion fines of their respective heating walls, the members of said respective pairs of flow ducts located on opposite sides of the central portion of the heating wall; a of mediate flow (lucts respectively located between "a side flow duct and interior flow duct; the flow ducts each communicably connected individually by duct meansextending substantially from the central portion of the flow duct over the top of the coking chamber substantially the central portion of the corresponding flow duct of an adjacent heating wall; and regcnerators communicably connected with the tines of said heating walls. v

7 Ina coking retort oven, in combination: a plurality of spaced heating walls providing intermediate coking chambers, said heating walls respectively comprising verticalcombustion flucs; a pair of interior and a pair of side flow ducts in each heating wall respectively communicably connected with interior and side groups of the combustion flues of their respective heating walls, the members of said respective pairs of flow ducts being located on opposite sides of the central portion of the hehting wall and the fiow ducts constituting the interior pair being substantially equidistant from the center of theh'eating wall; a pair of mediate flow ducts respectively located between a side flow duct and an interior flow duct; the flow ducts being each communicably connected individually by duct means extending substantially from the central portion of the flow duct over the top of the coking chamber with substantially the central portion of the corresponding flow duct of an adjacent heating wall; and regenerators communicably connected with the fiues of said heating walls.

8. In a coking retort oven, in combination: a plurality of spaced heating walls providing intermediate coking chambers, said heating walls respectively comprising vertical combustion fines; a pair of interior and a pair of side flow ducts in each heating wall respectively communicably connected with interior and side groups of the combustion flues of their respective heating walls, the members of said respective pairs of flow ducts being located on opposite sides of the central portion of the heating wall and the flow ducts constituting the interior pair being substantially equidistant from the center of the heating wall; a pair of mediate flow ducts respecfiyely located between a side flow duct and an interior flow duct; the flow ducts belng each communicably connected individually by duct means extending over the top of the coking chamber with the corresponding flow duct of an adjacent heating wall; and regenerators communicably connected with the flues of said heating walls.

9. In a coking retort oven, in combination: a plurality of spaced heating walls providing intermediate coking chambers, said heat ing walls respectively comprising vertical combustion lines; a pair of interior and a pair of side horizontal flow ducts in each heating wall respectively communicably connected with interior and side groups of the combustion flues of their respectiveheating walls, the members of said respective pairs of flow ducts being located on opposite sides of the central portion of the heating wall and the flow ducts constituting the interior pair being substantially equidistant from the center of the heating wall; the flow ducts being each communicably connected individually by duct means extending over the top of the coking chamber with the corresponding flow duct of an adjacent heating wali; anzl regenerators communicably connectedwith the flues of said heating walls.

10. In a coking retort oven, in combination: a plurality of spaced heating walls providing intermediate coking chambers, said heating walls respectively comprising vertical combustion flues; a pair of interior and a pair of side horizontal flow ducts in each heating wall respectively communicably connected with interior and side groups of the combustion flues of their respective heating walls, the members of said respective pairs of flow ducts being located on opposite sides of the central portion of the heating wall; the flow ducts being each communicably connected individually by duct means extending over the top of the coking chamber with the orresponding flow duct of an adjacent heating wall; and regenerators communicably connected with the fiues of said heating walls.

11. In combination with a horizontal coking chamber, flued heating walls respectively constituting the opposite side walls of said coking chamber, the fines. of the heating walls being communicably connected with each other in separate groups by interior and side duct means respectively extending over the top of the coking chamber on both sides of the central portion there-. of, reversible means for maintaining combustion in alternation in said heating walls, whereby the exhaust gases pre need by the combustion in one heating wall may be drawn off through the other, and reversible regenerators respectively connected with the fines of said heating walls.

12. In a coking retort oven, in combination: a plurality of coking chambers; heating walls contiguous to said coking chambers and respectively comprising vertical combustion flues; the said vertical combustion fines of each heating wall being disposed into interior and side groups on both sides of the central portion of the heating wall, which groups are respectively communicably connected by duct means with the corresponding groups of an adjacent heating wall, said duct means communicating with their respective groups substantially at the centers of the latter: and regenerators communicably connected with the fiues of said heating walls. v

13. In a coking retort oven having a pmrality of coking chambers, and heating walls contiguous to said coking chambers, which heating walls respectively comprise "er-t1- cal combustion flues, the improvement characterized by an even number of horizontal flow ducts in each heating wall arranged into interior and side oups on both sides of the central portion said wall and communicably connected respectively with groups of said combustionflues, the flow ducts being of substantially equal length and being com-' municably connected individually by duct means with the corresponding flow ducts of an adjacent heating wall.

14. In a coking retort oven having a plurality of coking chambers, and heating walls contiguous to said coking chambers, which heating walls respectively comprise vertical combustion flues, the improvement characterized by an even number of horizontal flow ducts in each heating wall arranged into interior and side groups on both sides of the central portion of said wall and communicably connected respectively with groups of said combustion flues, the flow ducts being communicably connected individually by duct means with the corresponding flow ducts of an adjacent heating wall.

15. The improvement in the art of coking coal, or other carbonaceous material in horizontal chamber ovens alternating w th heating walls in which walls flame heating is'conducted in intervals alternating, after reversal, with withdrawal of waste gases through said walls, which consists in applying to the entire length of the charges of 'coal in alternate chambers during alternate intervals flame heat simultaneously on both sides of said charges of coal and in the other chambers applying the flame heat in successive intervals first from one side of the entire length and then from the other s1de of the entire length of the charges of coal.

16. The improvement in the art of cok1n g 40 coal, or other carbonaceous material, in horizontal chamber ovens alternating with heating walls in which walls flame heating 1s conducted in intervals alternating, after reversal, with withdrawal of waste gases.

4 through said walls, which consists in ap plying to the entire length of the charges of coal in some of the chambers during alternate intervals flame heat simultaneously on'both sides of said charges of coal and in the other chambers applying the flame heat in successive intervals first 'from one side of theentire length and then from the other side of the entire length of the charges of coal.

coal, or carbonaceous material, in coke oven chambers alternating with heating walls in which walls flame heating is conducted in intervals alternating, after reversal, with withdrawal of waste gases through said walls, which consists in applying to the entire length of the char es of coal 1n alternate chambers during a-ternate intervals flame heat-simultaneously on both sides of said charges of coal and in the other chambers ap- 17. The improvement in the art of cokingby cross-over conduits extendin plying the flame heat in successive intervals first from one side of the entire length and then from the other side of the entire length of the charges of coal.

18. The improvement in the art of coking coal, or other carbonaceous material, in coke oven chambers alternating with heating walls in which walls flame heating is conducted in intervals alternating, after reversal, with wlth drawal of waste gases through said walls, which consists in applying to the entire length of the charges of'coal in some of the chambers during alternate intervals flame heat simultaneously on both sides of said charges of coal and in the other chambers applying the flame-heat in successive intervals coking chambers; heating walls between suc-.

cessive chambers, said heating walls being provided with vertical combustion flues; regenerators communicating with said flues, some of said regenerators being adapted to pass preheated air and others to pass preheated. combustible gas thereto while still others are adapted to convey'waste gases therefrom during a given period of operatlon, the regenerators for passing combustible gas being separated from all the regenerators for passing waste gas by regenerators for passlng air.

20. In the combination defined in claim 19, means for reversing the flow while maintalnmg the sequence of gases in the regenerators unchanged.

21. In a coke oven battery, in combination: coking chambers; heating walls between successive chambers, said heating walls being provided with vertical combustion flues, the flues of adjacent walls being communicably connected with each other in sets; regenerators communicating with said flues, some of said regenerators being adapted to pass preheated air and others to pass preheated com"- bustible gas to certain of the flued walls of the respective sets while still others of said regenerators are adapted to convey Waste gases from certain other of the flued walls of the respective sets, during a given period of operation, the regenerators for' passing combustible gas being separated from all the regenerators for passing waste gas by regenerators for passing air. 1

22. In a coking retort oven, in combination: a series of substantially parallel cokmg chambers; heatingwalls between said co ing chambers and respectively comprising vertical heating flues; the vertical heating flues in the respective heating walls being com'municably connected with vertical heating flues in another heating wall in the oven over the coking chambers; and a series of slde-by-side iao regenerators that extend longitudinally ofand below the coking chambers; said regenerators being disposed in side-by-side groups of four regenerators each, each of the groups of regenerators comprising two regenerators for-inflow of air respectively disposed onthe outside of the group and two regenerators for inflow of fuel gas disposed between said air regenerators; the regenerators of each of the groups being communicably connected for simultaneous flow in the same direction in pairs with the vertical heating flues of each of two of the heating walls, each such pair of regenerators of each group of regenerators communicating with the flues of a different heating wall from the other pair in the group and comprising an outside air regenerator of the group and the fuel gas regenerator of the group that is closest said outside air regenerator.

.23. In. a coking retort oven, in combination: a plurality of substantially parallel coking chambers; heating walls between and contiguous to said coking chambers and respectively comprising vertical heating flues; duct means extending over the coking chambers and communicably connecting the vertical heating flues in the respective heating walls with vertical heating flues in other heating walls in the oven; regenerators extending longitudinally of and below the coking chambers and disposed in pairs respectively comprising air and gas regenerators and respectively individual to and communicating with the flues of a single heating wall, said pairs of regenerators being disposed in side-by-side groups of two pairs each for flow in the same direction simultane- -ously with air regenerators of said'two pairs erators.

24. In a coking retort oven, in combination: a series of side-by-side horizontal coking chambers and intermediate heating walls therefor, each of said heating walls comprising a single row of vertical flame-flues communicably connected with the vertical flame flues of another of the heating walls by duct means extending over an intervening coking chamber; an air regenerator and a gas regenerator individual to each of said heating walls and communicably connected in pairs with the vertical flues thereof; the air regenerators and the gas regenerators of all of said heating walls being disposed side-by-side in a row, and the regenerators in said row for inflow of fuel gas being separated from all regenerators in said row for concurrent oirtflow of waste gas by intervening regenerators forinflow of air.

25. In a coking retort oven, in combination: a series of alternate horizontal coking chambers and heating walls therefor arranged side-by-side in a row, each of said heating walls comprising vertical flame flues; horizontal-flow duct means in each of the heating walls and respectively communicably connected with the tops of the vertical flues of their respective heating walls; each of said horizontal flow duct means terminating at their upper portions so as to be entirely at a spaceddistance below the tops of the adjoining coking chambers and being so restricted in height and extended in width that they are located below the top level to which the adjoining coking chambers are adapted for being charged and confine flow of waste gas and flame from the flame flues to below such level and yet allow the flame flues to extend up to nearly the top level for coked charges so as to thereby maintain a shallow'relatively cool top in the coking mass throughout the coking thereof in the coking chambers; the horizontal flow duct means in each of the heating walls being also communicably connected with the horizontal flow duct means of another of the heating walls by a multiplicity of duct means extending'over an intervening coking chamber; and regenerators communicating with said flame flues.

26. In a coking retort oven, in combination: a series of alternate horizontal coking chambers and heating walls therefor arranged side-by-side in a row, each of said heateach of the heating walls and respectively communicably connected with the tops of the vertical flues of their respective heating walls each of said horizontal flow duct means being located entirely below the levels of the tops of the coking chambers and so disposed as to be entirely at a spaced distance below the levels of the tops of said chambers; and being restricted in height and extended in Width so as to thereby maintain a shallow relatively cool top in the coking mass throughout the coking thereof in the coking chambers; the horizontal flow duct means in each of the heating walls being also communicably connected with the horizontal flow duct means of another of the heating walls by a multiplioity of cross-over duct means extending over an intervening coking chamber and spaced substantially equidistantly from each other along the length of the heating walls that they connect, and each of the'coking chambers having thickened lateral walls, through which said cross-over duct means extend, at the upper part of the coking chamber between the level of the top of the chamber and the tops of the horizontal flow duct means in the heating walls contiguous to thecham- 27. In acoking retortoven, in combination: a series of substantially parallel coking chambers; heating walls between said coking chambers and respectively comprising series of vertical heating flues operable in alternation for inflow combustion and outflow of combustion products; the vertical heating flues of each series thereof being communicably connected with the vertical flues of another of the series thereof for passage of combustion products from the flues of one series to the flues of the other series in alternation; and a series of side-by-side regenerators that extend longitudinally of and below the coking chambers; said regenerators being disposed in side-by-side groups of at least four regenerators each, each of the groups of regenerators comprising at least two regenerators for inflow of air, such two air-regenerators being respectively disposed on the outside of the group, and at least two regenerators for inflow of fuel gas disposed between said air regenerators; the regenerators of each of the groups being communicably connected for simultaneous flow in the same direction in pairs, each of said pairs being communicably connected with the vertical heating flues of a single series of vertical heating flues, each such pair of regenerators of each group of regenerators communicating with a different series of vertical heating flues from the other of the pairs in the group and comprising an air regenerator and a fuel gas regeneraton.

28. In a coking retort oven, in combination: a series of substantially parallel coking chambers; heating walls between said coking chambers and respectively comprising series of vertical heating flues; and a series of sideby-side regenerators that extend lon 'tudinally of and below the coking cham ers; said regenerators being disposed in side-by-side groups of at least four regenerators each, each of the groups of regenerators comprising at least two regenerators for inflow of air, such two air-regenerators being respectively disposed on the outside of the group, and atleast two regenerators for inflow of fuel gas disposed between said air regenerators; the

regenerators of each of the groups being com-i municably connected for simultaneous flow in the same direction in pairs, each of said pairs being communicably connected with the vertical heating flues of a single series of the aforesaid s'eriesof vertical heating flues,- each such pair of regenerators of each group of regenerators communicating with a difi'er-' ent series of vertical heating fluesfrom the other of the pairs in the group and comprising an air regenerator and a fuel gas regenerator.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

- I JOSEPH BECKER. 

